Lightning Over Water

Lightning Over Water (1980)

  • 57% of critics liked it
    (7 reviews)

  • 66% of users liked it
    (634 ratings)

Lightning Over Water is a penetrating documentary of the last days of cult film director Nicholas Ray. The film was lovingly assembled by Wim Wenders, whose idolatry of Ray is obvious in virtually every frame of his own work. Dying slowly of cancer, Ray reflects on a lifetime of accomplishments,… More

Unrated, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By
Nicholas Ray, Wim Wenders
Written By
Nicholas Ray, Wim Wenders
Genres
Documentary, Television, Special Interest
In Theaters
Jan 1, 1980 Wide
On DVD
Apr 6, 2004

Critic Reviews

  • Vincent Canby, New York Times

    Lightning Over Water is chaotic, emotionally and esthetically.

  • , TV Guide's Movie Guide

    A poignant and often painful film in which Wenders and the terminally ill Ray attempt to make a film together in the last days before Ray's death in 1979.

  • David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

    Unquestionably the worst movie of Wim Wenders' career and indeed one of the worst movies ever made...

  • Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

    Wenders adds in some cruddy early-80s video from time to time, and the film is an odd mixture of powerful emotions and rambling nothingness.

  • , Time Out

    Even with its painful contradictions and discomfitures, it's that current rarity: one for the heart.

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Anthony L


    Lightning over Water is a fascinating documentary of sorts, it's an interesting project I've not seen before or since anyway. Nicholas Ray was a charismatic director and also a bit of a workaholic, only really truly happy when working on a film. That is where it's hard… More

Cast

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